News

Eco-Agents win Changemakers 2026 award

22 April 2026

St George’s Primary Eco-Agents' Ocean Gatekeepers project has won the junior category in the COBIS Changemakers Competition 2026. The competition is a student-led opportunity for young people in Key Stages 1 to 5 (Years 1 to 13) to develop projects that make a positive impact in their schools and local communities.

The award recognises more than a single idea: it celebrates sustained, practical action. As part of St George’s wholeschool oceans theme and Ocean Gatekeepers work, students have been exploring the link between everyday choices on land and the health of marine ecosystems. Over recent months, they have tackled plastic waste in hands-on ways, including sorting and cleaning used school stationery plastics, identifying pens that could be returned to classrooms for further use, and transforming recycled material into useful items such as coasters in the Sustainability Studio.

In its congratulatory letter, COBIS praised the team’s “practical innovation and problem solving” and highlighted the way students led the project while explaining both the changes they made and the impact of those actions. The judges were especially impressed by the thoughtful focus on plastic waste and waste streams, as well as the clear student leadership at the heart of the project. 

This recognition reflects what sustainability looks like at St George’s: learning that leads to visible, student-led action. Through Ocean Gatekeepers, our students are not only building ocean literacy, but also showing how small, consistent choices in school can contribute to a more responsible and hopeful future.